Its the dreaded head gasket, isn't it?

[ILLIFIED]

So my 97 outback (2.5 I think) was going through some of the same symptoms that other members have wrote about. The temperature would get hot, then fall, get hot etc, eventually the car boiled over and coolant was coming out of the reservoir onto the road. I left the car overnight and limped it to a shop. Since I knew of the heating issues with this car, I assumed the thermostat had busted (and had broken in a closed position). The shop replaced the thermostat and the car seemed to be fine for about 4 weeks. NO increases in temp whatsoever.

 

Yesterday, the fluctuations in temp came back (though the needle doesnt get as hot as it did before I changed the term.).

 

Does this mean it HAS to be the head gasket?

 

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

ILL

[outback_97]

ILL:

 

HAS to be? No.

 

Probably is? Yes, based on what I've read.

 

http://users.sisna.com/ignatius/subaru/headgasket.html

 

That link may have some useful information for you.

 

Steve

[ILLIFIED]

ILL:

 

HAS to be? No.

 

Probably is? Yes, based on what I've read.

 

http://users.sisna.com/ignatius/subaru/headgasket.html

 

That link may have some useful information for you.

 

Steve

 

Thanks for the reply Steve, as much as I dont want to accept it, I think its the HG too.

[binderbeast]

I (well the wife actually) has a 2001 Outback, blown head gasket. As you all know big bucks to fix. She is livid, so I bought her a new car.

 

Now, what are my options? I am told anywhere from $1500-3500 to fix, the high end being if there is damage to heads etc. of course.

 

She wants to dump it, I may want to keep it to add to my fleet (hehe... wonder if I can convince her of that).

 

It does have 80,000 miles and a slight fender ding, but I figure it is better to keep than to dump for ~ $4000. I would appreciate any advice, I am not too up on Subarus. I do know that I like the car alot, more than she did.

[binderbeast]

Oh, and thanks to Outback 97 for the links!

[unverviking]

I (well the wife actually) has a 2001 Outback, blown head gasket. As you all know big bucks to fix. She is livid, so I bought her a new car.

 

Now, what are my options? I am told anywhere from $1500-3500 to fix, the high end being if there is damage to heads etc. of course.

 

She wants to dump it, I may want to keep it to add to my fleet (hehe... wonder if I can convince her of that).

 

It does have 80,000 miles and a slight fender ding, but I figure it is better to keep than to dump for ~ $4000. I would appreciate any advice, I am not too up on Subarus. I do know that I like the car alot, more than she did.

 

If you did the "Conditioner" recall, your headgaskets should be covered under a 100k warranty. I did that last year on my 01 OBW just for that reason. We've got 77k and no signs of trouble YET...

 

I'd keep it, good car, fun to drive. I miss my 93 Legacy Wgn 5MT, I enjoyed the stick better than the auto... But if I were in the same situation, I'd keep the 01.

 

Just my 2 pennies worth

[jib]

deleted

[Cougar]

To Illified,

 

You can have a block check done to verify that exhaust gases are getting into the coolant. It is a cheap test to have done and you will know the real story when it is done.

 

To Binderbeast,

 

I would keep the car and have it fixed since you like it. Once the problem is taken care of you shouldn't have any real problems with things except for the normal wear items. If you do have it fixed you may want to get the timing belts done also since they are going to be coming up fairly soon. You would save a little money over waiting to have them done later.

[binderbeast]

We never recieved a recall notice, does that mean I am out of luck?

 

And why would some recieve it and not us?

 

Oh, thanks for the responses!

 

I live on a mountain and my wife is a... spirited driver, the thing eats the inner portion of tires. Anyone else have that problem?

[cookie]

but you had to be registered with your Subaru dealer to be on the list. If you bought the car new or had it serviced there you would be on the computer.

My 99 Forester had the recall and they paid for the head gaskets I had previously installed by the dealer.

I forget the range of cars that got the recall, but I think it was about 99 to 2001 models that have the phase 2 2.5 engine. A search of the archives should help because I got my recall notice one of the guys got it retyped and posted it here.

[Cougar]

I would have the alignment checked for the tire problem.

[Tiny Clark]

I think one of the major problems of a small head gasket leak is that if you do something you think will fix it, i.e. thermostat, you fill the car back up with coolant/water and everything works fine until you loose enough water for it to start heating up again.

 

I think if you added coolant on a regualr basis, you could run it for a while with little problem.

 

Too bad small leaks turn into big ones...

[tomson1355]

I agree. Though in both phase ones I've put head gaskets in, the gaskets were intact, and the only evidence of a leak was the areas on the exhaust valve side of the gaskets that were shiny. It's not like the HGs were "blown".

 

SOmebody correct me if I'm wrong, but it would seem that with the external leak (coolant leaving the system to the outside), if you just maintained fluid in the reservoir you could live with it awhile, and not be overheating. With an internal leak (combustion gasses entering the coolant and displacing coolant to the reservoir), overheating of one degree or another would occur as soon as enough coolant was displaced.

I've driven two phase one internal leaks home after purchase (one I knew was leaking, one I didn't) a couple hundred miles without any real problem. The temp guage would move around a bit, but no major overheating.

[cookie]

you to keep coolant in. That's why the stopleak works on them.

A phase 1 would probaly be mush like the average headgasket leak and just very slowly get worse if you did not overheat it. Some folks have reported removing the thermostat and getting by for a while, but you have the chance of more damage.

[dklein90]

I know that i have seen it here before, but could someone refresh my memory as to which Phase engine is prone to which type of leak. Is it Phase 1 - external; Phase 2 - internal?

[cookie]

is external. When my phase 2 leaked the only thing I noticed was my coolant went down a bit. I added water a couple of times and then looked where folks from this board told me to look for an external phase 2 leak. OOOps, wish I hadn't seen that.

A week or so later and new head gaskets and all has been well ever since. This was just before Subaru did the recall, and at that time they paid me back for the work and gave me some free goop.

[unverviking]

We never recieved a recall notice, does that mean I am out of luck? And why would some recieve it and not us? Oh, thanks for the responses! I live on a mountain and my wife is a... spirited driver, the thing eats the inner portion of tires. Anyone else have that problem?

 

I'd call the dealer and have them check your VIN Number. They'll tell you what you'd need to do...

 

We had issues with tires, but it was problems with the tires themselves.. I'd say to have the alignment cheked. If needed do a 4 wheel alignment.

 

Keep "us" posted on your results...

[binderbeast]

Thanks, I am calling Subaru of America tomorrow, if fires do not keep me from it.

[binderbeast]

We have had it aligned repeatedly, under a lifetime (4 wheel) alignment deal with a major chain. I asked them to change the camber (sp?) and they will not go outside manufactor's specs. I have been advised to try an independant/performance shop to get a 'custom' alignment. Any thoughts?

 

If I can get the head gasket fixed by Subaru, and reslove the tire eating problem I want to keep it. If not...

 

We do drive mountain roads at a... ah... spirited pace, but I expect the tires to wear more evenly. It is rediculous what I have spent on tires on this thing.

 

Thanks again for all the responses, you folks seem to be as committed to Sub's as my pals are to International Harvesters on the BinderBulliten (an IH enthusiast's site)!